CHDK, or the Canon Hack Development Kit, is a firmware that runs on Canon’s PowerShot digital cameras over the original software. It’s designed to augment the camera’s functionality without disrupting the original firmware (not unlike how a LiveCD works), but with the original software still running in the background. So it’s a hassle-free, low-risk way to get a lot more from your PowerShot.

So what can CHDK do? Simply put: A lot. It will allow your basic point-and-shoot to take capture RAW data, you will get access to scripts that will add powerful functionality (like an intervalometer), video size limits can be disabled, and so on. Overall, you will get a lot more control of your camera.

In the video above I showed CHDK running on my Canon PowerShot A620. I bought this camera back in 2005 for about $220 and it still works today, but I don’t use it because I’ve upgraded since then. CHDK doesn’t make it a great camera (the S95 is my point-and-shoot these days), but the firmware makes it much more useful for me. Rather than just leaving it in my desk I now use it to shoot time-lapses. On a newer camera I could run scripts as well, plus I could better appreciate the added functionality thanks to the newer sensor.

So whether your Canon is new or old I’d recommend giving CHDK a shot. All I needed to get it going was a 2GB SD card and about an hour of time.